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Monthly Archives: April 2016

We have distilled decades of experience at the intersection of law, business and finance into a suite of articles to help our clients make sense of business valuation, forensic accounting, and litigation support. Please visit our site regularly for our latest content.

It is often assumed that a business valuation is only necessary in instances of conflict or litigation, but business valuations can be very useful in identifying ways to increase the value of an existing business. When business owners get valuations, they are often surprised by the lower-than-anticipated results as it is easy to overvalue personal assets and lose sight of the fact that market value is based almost exclusively on objective data regarding future profitability. It is essential that business owners have an accurate knowledge of their businesses value in order to be in a position to increase its worth. A business valuation expert would be able to provide an exact valuation and help the business owner develop a long term plan to increase the business’s market value.  The specifics of this plan would be dependent on the company’s position in the marketplace as well as its financial growth history. There are a few basic techniques that typically work to increase a business’s value. You may want to consider one or more of the following: Increase Profitability. Look at the future prospects in the market and work to ensure that profits will continue increasing, Find efficiencies that cut cost, Grow intangible assets, Establish sales and/or marketing departments, Increase employee retention, and/or Diversify revenue by producing a larger variety of products or services. Simplify. Establish seamless procedures and routines, Create recurring revenue statements, and/or Reduce or eliminate shareholders loans. Organize. Tidy up the business’s physical location, and/or Neatly catalog important documents. […]


Dealing with Fraud: A Simple Four Step System

Posted in Financial Advisory, on Apr 2016, By: Mark S. Gottlieb

Modern day examples of fraud don’t always take the form of mustachioed Ponzi-types with elaborate systems of deception. Today, elusive acts of fraud in the workplace are running rampant, especially throughout small businesses.   The ability to commit and get away with fraud has become even more accessible with the increased use of social technologies in the workplace. Tech savvy fraudsters can use anything from Facebook messaging to Snapchat to communicate plans for manipulating company funds in a way that is difficult to detect. If you or your client is suspicious of fraudulent activity in the workplace, it is essential to take the steps necessary to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. The following four steps should be taken to stop any potential fraudulent behaviors: Detection of Potential Fraudulent Activity in the Workplace The two main types of business fraud are (1) inappropriate personal use of business assets and (2) falsifying financial statements. These types of fraud can come in many forms, including but not limited to the following: Embezzlement, Forgery of official documents, Tampering with bank records, Inventory theft, Benefitting from placing a redundant order, Using company credit cards for personal expenses, Selling business assets under the market value, Manipulating the overtime periods, and Creating fictitious expenses and obtaining disbursements. If any of these behaviors are suspected, it is important to investigate. Forensic Investigation Although most employers wouldn’t like to think of their employees as the type to commit fraud, fraudulent behavior is surprisingly prevalent, especially among smaller […]